# "Xena" et.al. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043 "2000-01-24T22:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/1 "2000-01-24T22:16:00Z")
Do any of you folks watch syndicated t.v. programs such as “Xena”, “Herecules”, “The Relic Finder (I think…)”, etc? I gave up cable t.v. about 3 years ago so that I’d spend more time reading and/or listening to records. With just an antena I only get 4 or 5 channels (3 of which are Fox!) While flipping around, sometimes I come across these shows and usually keep going. Recently I’ve decided to stay and watch for a while though. It really disturbs me that these aren’t just badly written, acted, and filmed, it’s impossible for me to suspend disbelief at all. At first they appear to be historcal-fiction (Herecules, at least), but they constantly rely on pop-culture pharases and references. A child of six could realize the incongruities! Can someone enlighten me? SOMEBODY must be watching this drek! What gives? Sweet Basil ---
**Author:** ![kellibelli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e480ec/32.png) [@kellibelli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellibelli)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/2 "2000-01-24T22:21:00Z")
HELLO??? do you have eyes? I dont care what sex you are, what orientation…Xena is friggin HOT! ---
**Author:** ![Sweet\_Basil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Sweet\_Basil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweet_Basil)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/3 "2000-01-24T22:40:00Z")
Actually, I’m a bit more attracted to Tia Carerre in the other show. If T&A is all that’s selling these shows, why bother with all the pseudo-historic crap? I mean, why not just do a “Baywatch” or any number of those near-skin flicks that show on the USA network? Sweet Basil ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/4 "2000-01-24T22:41:00Z")
Hey, you know what? I had a similar experience. I was watching the movie “Blow Job Nurses of Anal Hospital.” So this guy walks in to the emergency room complaining of a groin injury. Now I don’t want to get into exactly what this so-called triage nurse and the nurse’s aide did, but I would guess that it certainly isn’t the proper procedure for treating this malady. At least not in any medical center I’ve heard of. Don’t worry, I sent a strong letter to the video production company and Cc:'d the American Medical Assosiation. Who watches this stuff? * * * I used to rock and roll all night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I’m lucky if I can find a half an hour a week in which to get funky. ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/5 "2000-01-24T23:03:00Z")
Xena and Hercules are **meant** to be campy with all the pop culture references and such. Its all done in good fun. I must admit that the Hercules one bothers me, because of course it follows the legends of Heracles worse than even Disney. But is still enjoyably campy. (If they were to call it Mongo the Just or something like that, I’d not really have a problem with it.) * * * \>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\< —The dragon observes ---
**Author:** ![Minxsmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Minxsmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minxsmom)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/6 "2000-01-24T23:10:00Z")
The major problem you are having is that you are looking at Xena and Hercules as historical fiction. They are both comedies set in ancient Greece. For the most part, historical accuracy and anything even closely resembling actual mythology are after thoughts. On top of that, many of the jokes are “in” jokes (they reference incidents in prior shows) so you are not going to catch most of the humor the first X number of times you watch the shows. Hercules is better than Xena, although they are both really lame at times. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/7 "2000-01-25T01:37:00Z")
I like those shows. Why? Because it’s all campy fun. Xena, Warrior Princess is not above joking about all the comments about the characters. I’ve heard a few Xena / lesbian jokes on the show a few times. A new one that I thought was interesting is called “Cleopatra 2525”. The show is set in 2525. Sometime before, humans were driven underground by machines. Humanity is trying to fight the machines to win back the surface. The title character turns out to be a stripper who was cryogenically frozen after an accident while getting a boob job done in 2001. * * * It’s worth the risk of burning, to have a second chance… ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Wing\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f0a364/32.png) [@Dark\_Wing\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Wing_Duck)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/8 "2000-01-25T03:34:00Z")
I personally can’t stand Xena. Not only are the historical and mythogical references all over the map (I think they’ve slopped together about a thousand years worth of history in that one series), but the characters often speak, think and react like modern-day suburbanites. My daughter, on the other hand, loves it. She’s always been into books and movies where the women are the ass-kicking heroes, rather than victims or arm decorations. And who can blame her? Like most of the other people here, I think these things are just good, not terribly serious fun for those who can enjoy them. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/9 "2000-01-25T04:28:00Z")
In your day to day remote control odyssey, just pray that you never come across the “musical” episode of Xena. Pray that you never have to embrace the terror and pain that never washes off or goes away. Also, pray for those of us who have been afflicted. Pray that we may one day turn on our televisions in absence of fear and trepidation. Thank you kindly. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/10 "2000-01-25T04:48:00Z")
I’ve watched Xena and Hercules precisely once. Didn’t do anything for me, wasn’t repelled either. Both were done with intentional parody, and at least they alluded to something. On the grand scale of things (and television rarely comes close) at least these _knew_ they were based on legend. Inaccurate as hell, jazzed up and high camp, but they were at least self-aware and having fun with some basic stuff. It was miles better than talking/psychic cars, cyborgs with wiring problems, etc. Split-decision; not great art, but doesn’t claim to be. But miles above the _truly_ mindless spawn of ignorant “concept” Hollywood gurus. Damning with faint enthusiasm, Veb ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/11 "2000-01-25T04:50:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Doobieous: > **I like those shows. Why? Because it’s all campy fun. Xena, Warrior Princess is not above joking about all the comments about the characters. I’ve heard a few Xena / lesbian jokes on the show a few times.** Actresses playing Xena and Gabrielle in a play: ‘We learned about ourselves. We’re…THESPIANS!’ > [@](#): > > \*\* > A new one that I thought was interesting is called “Cleopatra 2525”. The show is set in 2525. Sometime before, humans were driven underground by machines. Humanity is trying to fight the machines to win back the surface. The title character turns out to be a stripper who was cryogenically frozen after an accident while getting a boob job done in 2001. > \*\* Looks like a fun show. Saw one episode this week (the first, I think, last half.), and it was a real laugh. Pretty good FX, goofy dialogue, neat characters. Everything that made Hercules, Xena, Sinbad, Conan and all the rest of those shows interesting. * * * _Eschew Obfuscation_ ---
**Author:** ![WallyM7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5e925/32.png) [@WallyM7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WallyM7)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/12 "2000-01-25T05:20:00Z")
Xena is a slut. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/13 "2000-01-25T06:23:00Z")
Hey, I prefer Pensacola and VIP for stupid shows. Hey the guys on Pensacola are truly worth drooling over, although the plots suck. Screw those pseudo shows, if your gonna watch crappy TV (I don’t have cable either) at least watch something contemporary. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/14 "2000-01-25T07:20:00Z")
I was watching Xena at the home of some friends once. I admit to being more than willing to sit through an hour of chicks in skimpy leather outfits kickin’ butt. As the show went on, one of the other houseguests wandered in, and belittled us for our lack of taste. She then watched for a moment, and asked a question about some matter revealed in the dialog. I looked at her blankly. “I’m sorry,” I told her. “I have no idea what she said. I don’t listen to the words. In fact, at home I turn the sound down.” Pre-teen girls, teenage boys, and men in their fifties. I am in the demographic, man. ## **\

Tris\** “If I have not seen as far as others have seen, it is because giants were standing on my shoulders.” –\*\* Anonymous \*\* ---

**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/15 "2000-01-25T14:55:00Z")
I have never been able to sit through an entire episode of Xena. This surprises me somewhat, as I like Chicks in Chainmail and women in prison movies. I suppose I am just too old for the show. My daughters watch the show every chance they get. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/16 "2000-01-25T14:59:00Z")
I have a dear friend who is working on her PhD. She’s one of the most intelligent women I’ve ever met. But I guess there’s no accounting for taste, because she **loves** those shows! Yech! She also voted for Jesse Ventura. Maybe she isn’t as smart as she seems. ::sigh:: ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/17 "2000-01-25T15:01:00Z")
In a recent episode, Xena said that she had been looking for a cunning linguist. Guess that tells us where her relationship with Gabrielle is going. . . . ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/18 "2000-01-25T22:25:00Z")
Personally, I’ve only ever watched Xena to make fun it ala Mystery Science Theater. At least those shows (Xena, Hercules, etc) are intentionally campy, unlike most of the MST3K movies… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zambezi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mr.Zambezi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zambezi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/19 "2000-01-25T23:15:00Z")
I too got rid of Cable. Sometimes, though I have to watch the tube. And Hercules is one of those shows that I love to veg out to. It is campy and fairly stupid, but it sort of funny in an MST3K way and the amount of action and stuff keeps it engaging. I can think of 20 other shows that are downright painful to watch because they take themselves seriously. Veronica’s Closet and Ally McArrrrrrrgh I want to tear my eyes out when I even think of that show! And Xena is a Lesbian Hero, man! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043/20 "2000-01-25T23:39:00Z")
My SO and I have watched 'em both religiously since we finished writing up our Zena/Hercules drinking game . . . [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xena-et-al/4043.md?page=2)